An Indian soldier was in extremely critical condition after being rescued nearly a week after he was buried under 35 feet of snow by an avalanche that killed nine other soldiers.
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“He remains ventilator dependent since arrival”. He was left behind in an unconscious state with a weak pulse which is hardly detectable.
The soldier, Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad, is now in ICU.
Hanamanthappa’s family members in Dharwad breathed a sigh of relief after news of him being rescued alive reached them.
“He was rescued from the site on February 8. Rescue efforts will continue till all our soldiers are found”, said the spokesman.
He was “severely dehydrated, hypothermic, hypoxic, hypoglycemic and in shock”.
The soldiers were reportedly from the Indian Army’s Madras Regiment and were hit by the avalanche as they patrolled the border region with Pakistan, according to the Times of India.
“Lance Naik Hanamanthappa has been found alive”.
After emergency medical treatment, he was flown out by helicopter along with a medical specialist to the Siachen base camp.
The medical bulleting said, Lance Naik Hanamanthappa has pneumonia and his investigations have revealed liver and kidney dysfunction.
Fortunately, there was no cold exposure-related frost bite or bony injuries to him, a medical bulletin issued by the hospital said.
The soldier is being treated by a team of intensivists, neurologist, nephrologist, endocrinologist and surgeons.
He has been administered fluids and drugs to bring up his blood pressure, besides antibiotics.
He said, “Five bodies have been recovered so far and four bodies have been identified”.
“Going to see Lance Naik Hanumanthappa, with prayers from the entire nation”, he said in a tweet.
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Modi said Koppad is an “outstanding soldier” whose “endurance and indomitable spirit” can not be described in words. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by Army Chief Dalbir Singh Suhag, visited the hospital, within an hour after he was airlifted to the national capital by a C-17 aircraft, along with a team of specialists.
